Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-02-25

ayen than that of the church: II goes on
steadily degrading men for seven days in
the week, while the church is open but one
day in the seven. The saloon has no Sab
bath. 1t never rests in its vile work. Yet
the vast mass of the community go onward
without seeing the evil that is wrought,
without reckoning the cost of the saloon,
not only to these who are in its thralls, but
to themselves. who pay the taxes and carry
the financial burden Of government.
For the saloon is the most costly instltu-
ton in America to-day. 1t is an economic
mistake of the people to allow it's existence.
It first eats out the substance of its patrons,
giving them no equivalent for their money,
and on this score alone il should be exter-
minated. 1t is n costly mistake, because it
laws heavy additional burdens on the tax
payers, in the way of supporting police
systems, and courts, and jails, and work.
houses, and penitentiaries-yes, and poor
houses, and insane asylums as we'll. 1t is
a costly mistake in o republican form Of
government, because it teaches people to
violate the laws, to fiout at authority, and
to rebel against wise and wholesome regu-
%lations. It is the chief-nay, the only
factor i'll the work of breaking down the
Christian Sabbath. 1t would destroy the
day of rest, that it may have on more day
per week to prey upon the people. 1t
would destroy Christianity itself if it ha d
the power. It is the foe of all that
is proper md decent in life. 1t is the
enemy of morality, of law, of public order,
The saloon is a costly mistake in a gov
eminent by the people, because it controls
the mass of its patrons as il they were
veritably its slaves, and consequently con-
trolls their votes when it needs them. 1t
takes to politics rs a duck takes to water;
and it entirely debases and befouls all
that it touches. 1t controls the basest and
least worthy of the voting constituency,
and affords a nucleus around. which the
most dangerous element in our political
life may rally; and its leadership invari-
ably directs this force to perpetua,e its own
power and subserve its W unworthy ends.
The interference of the saloon in poll
tics is a grave problem in our municipali-
ties. Look at our great cities, where the
municipal governments are run ut the die
tation of the saloons. The New York
Board of Aldermen, full of %saloonists and
dive-keepers, was a nest of bribery and
corruption of the most shameless sort. In
Chicago there is one saloon to every thirty
six voters. Hence, il it were proper that
the saloons should be represented at all il
the Council (Which it is not), they should
have had but one member out of the thirty
five, when they actually had fifteen, up to
the last municipal ~election-and the Coun:
Gil containing them was q shamelessly and
VIGOROUSLY corrupt body. Police boards
are, as a rule, under the direct or indirect
sway of this internal element-the Rum
Power.
There is not a city Of any magnitude in the
country in which the saloons, the Rum
Power, have not endeavored to control the
city government. If they cannot control il
directly, by force of numbers, they do it by
fear. They make men afraid to take ac-
tive measures against them, if they can MOI
control them as active partisans. The So
loon wants the earth, and already imagines
that it is dispossessed thereof by the decent
classes of society. 1t must be disabused Of
this idea. It must be shown that it lives by
sufferance, where it does exist, and not by
right. 1t is an insolent, overbearing, des.
potic tyrant, desperately endeavoring tc
erect an empire of hum on the ruins Of al.
that is good and pure. The saloon must be
crushed. All good men and true mus
unite in the effort to pulverize the run
power.-TOledO Blade.